Your doctor may diagnose intracranial venous malformations during testing for other neurological conditions. You often don't experience symptoms.

Your doctor may order imaging tests to diagnose intracranial venous malformations or other neurological conditions, such as:

Computerized tomography (CT) scan. A CT scan creates a series of X-rays to create detailed, cross-sectional images of your blood vessels and your brain. Sometimes a doctor may inject a dye into a vein to view the blood vessels in greater detail (CT angiogram or CT venogram).

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this test, magnetic and radio waves create detailed 3-D images of your blood vessels and your brain. Sometimes a doctor may inject a contrast dye into your blood vessels to make your blood vessels visible on the images (magnetic resonance angiography or magnetic resonance venography).

Arteriovenous malformations and other vascular lesions of the central nervous system fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/avms/detail_avms.htm. Accessed May 4, 2014.

Ogilvy CS, et al. Recommendations for the management of intracranial arteriovenous malformations: A statement for healthcare professionals from a special writing group of the Stroke Council, American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2001;32:1458.

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